In the end if chapter 5 Paul says that where sin increased grace increased all the more. In 6:1 he anticipates the question: "Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?" Before we say that that's a terrible thing to even suggest, think of how often we practice that very thing. Paul proceeds to give us some very important facts and principles that can help us in coming to terms with the sin problem. Jesus died to sin once for all as the "sin bearer" (He carried our sins to the cross.) When we accepted Christ as Savior, relative to our sins, we died. In fact, this is what our baptism symbolizes. The death and burial of our old life of sin and the resurrection to a new life in Christ. Just as our old life was a slave to sin, so our new life is a slave to righteousness. How does this whole thing work? A dead person cannot sin, in fact he cannot do anything. He certainly cannot be tempted. The problem is I am still quite capable of sinning. We are dealing with a spiritual, faith-based principle. Remember Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham demonstrated his faith by obedience to God's directions. Christians are no more visibly dead and risen than Abraham was visibly righteous. Outwardly they appear as other men; but in Christ Jesus they are newly related to God. We, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can by faith obedience live as dead to sin. We can refuse to let sin reign in our mortal bodies. We don't walk according to the law in order to become approved, rather we walk in grace by faith because of what God declared us to be.

Dead and Yet Alive